Tarmo Hämäläinen

Apollo 17 Command Module

The Soviet Union encountered many problems when attempting a moon expedition. Many different rocket designers fought to have their voices heard, delaying development of a launcher to take a man to the moon. There was a lack of funds because the Soviet military, who provided the funding, questioned the value of such a project. In 1969, the N1 Moon Rocket, pictured, was finally approved for test launches, however after many failed launches the project was abandoned in 1974.

Soyuz VS01 on the launch pad

Vostok Up Close Credit: ESA/alldayru.com This photo released by spacecraft manufacturer RSC Energia shows the Vostok spacecraft. On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin launched into orbit on Vostok 1 to become the first human to fly in space.